In the Saturday Globe and Mail from May 2, Leah McLaren writes about how bicycle commuting is taking off in London and about the use of Top Shop stores to sell bicycles for commuters, instead of retailing commuting bikes out of bike shops. Fine, well and good except that this is old news. I knew about it at least 2-3 weeks ago from a combination of bike blogs and the NY Times. I admit, having been in the Dublin Top Shop, I’d be amazed to see them fit any significant number of bicycles in the shop and I’d like to see a news feature on how they accomplish it and whether it succeeds. If numbers are true, that London cycling is up 30% over the last few years, then it seems to me that people hardly need Top Shop to become their bicycle supply source.
Moreover, I think McLaren has been cribbing from various bicycle bloggers as her observations are hardly unique at this point.
Still, my students continue to aspire to be just like her….
Head… desk.
To read the article, see here: Pedal Power to the People.